Belly of the Beast
by Immicolia
Summary: AU.  In which Edo is captured by the Supreme King's men, and forced to face what Judai has become.  As well as the fact that there is nothing he can do about it.  [contains non graphic mentions of torture]


Edo knows he's going to die.

Of course, this fact is something of a no-brainer. Edo has always known that he would die young, even before finding himself facing life or death duels in an alternate dimension. The fact driven home with a knife in his side one night when he was thirteen and stupid and skulking around the underground duelling rings; searching for his father's killer. DD off on tour at the time and he remembers sitting in a hospital bed (body numb and mind fogged from the painkillers) with a phone pressed to his ear, listening in silence while DD berated him for his foolish behaviour and, "You need to let it go, Edo. Your father wouldn't want to see you getting hurt over this."

(In retrospect, Edo wonders if DD's concern stemmed more from worry of his own secrets being discovered than from Edo's safety.)

Death he's expecting, and has been since his first duel in this world while he watched his fallen opponent dissolve into glittering shards. Since he and Hell Kaiser were separated during a harried escape from some of the Supreme King's men. Since his capture and the casual beatings he endured while being paraded along before the frightened masses as an example of what happens to rebels. Since he was forced to kneel before the so-called supreme king of this world and found himself looking up at Judai (except not, because Judai has never looked so cold and cruel and simply dead inside.)

They want to know where Ryo is and, naturally, Edo will never tell them. It falls into a routine of sorts after a while. The floggings and demands and Edo will smile benignly, sometimes pausing to spit blood on the floor, and tell them, quite pleasantly, that he has no idea what they're talking about because he doesn't have a partner. Never has and never will. Concluding with a simple, "I work alone," that never goes over well.

He's given just enough food and water to stay alive and Edo is more than half-convinced that it's drugged. It getting harder and harder to keep his head clear enough to continue lying and eventually "I work alone" becomes a mantra. Something that he _mus__t_ believe in because to do otherwise will make it far too easy for him to slip.

(And isn't it true? Hasn't he always worked alone? Stood alone? Been alone? Naïve offers of friendship from Judai and uneasy alliances he may have formed with Hell Kaiser Ryo notwithstanding.)

Judai (not Judai) comes to him once. Or maybe it's nothing more than a dream. Edo so drugged, so exhausted, so numb from the pain that this blur of black and gold and blood-red hovering just at the edge of his vision, dark and imposing and entirely indifferent, just doesn't seem real.

Edo thinks he might have moaned Judai's name. Soft and needy and sounding so close to a whimper that he immediately hates himself for it. Some distant, drifting, portion of his mind screaming that he doesn't need Judai, doesn't need his acknowledgement, doesn't need anything or anyone.

"Why do you continue to resist?" that voice hisses through the darkness, ice cold and deadly, but Edo doesn't even have the strength to shudder at the sound. Staring blankly at Judai (no, _not_ Judai) in silence. "Tell us where your partner is and I will be merciful. You can die fighting for your life in a duel, instead of like a dog in a cage."

Edo's throat is so tight he can barely breathe, let alone speak, but somehow he forces out the words. The same words as always, "I have no idea what you're talking about. I work alone. I've never had a partner."

For a moment, just a moment, something vicious and deadly flashes in those flat golden eyes before fading back into icy indifference. A slow smile curling at Judai's lips and for a suspended moment, all Edo can see is the way Judai once was; all easy smile and carefree attitude.

"What happened to you, Judai?" Edo finds himself asking before he can stop himself and Judai (the Supreme King) frowns just slightly before smiling again, almost baring his teeth.

"I don't know what you're talking about. I've never heard that name before," and with that the Supreme King is gone, Edo left staring at the retreating shadow of his form.

And a few minutes (hours, days) later, Edo is once again being interrogated. Trying not to scream (to not crack and shatter into a thousand pieces, to not beg for mercy and spill everything he knows) as a whip is plied against his back and red hot knives slide across and over his skin.

If he can't help Judai, at the very least he can keep Hell Kaiser safe. He can protect _someone_.

At some point, although Edo doesn't know exactly when it happened -- isn't sure of much anymore, save for the constant press of agony -- he eventually becomes aware of Judai's constant presence. Always there, hovering just at the edge of Edo's awareness. Watching and smiling while Edo bites his lips bloody against the screams that want to escape before, ultimately, screaming freely because after a while there is no holding it back anymore.

And when it is all over for the day (or the hour, or the moment) while Edo hangs there numb and in shock, he's vaguely aware of a gauntleted hand gripping his chin and angling his head just so. Forcing him to meet those dead, golden eyes (although his own eyes are incapable of focusing, seeing nothing more than a blur of colour) and Judai will always hiss, "Why won't you break?" in pure, deadly, annoyance.

Most times Edo doesn't (can't) answer. His entire being focused more intently on the simple rhythm of breathing in and out than anything else. Although, sometimes (just sometimes) Edo is still holding together enough to croak, "Why won't you remember," in response, the question enough to cause Judai to hiss in annoyance and call him a fool.

One day, it changes. Judai's fingers biting into Edo's skin and the low murmur of his voice is closer to almost bemused when he asks in return, "What is it that you people expect me to remember? The one-eyed boy, his partner, every one of you seems to expect this from me."

"Because… this isn't you," Edo gasps, hoping (praying) that maybe this time he can get through.

"Or perhaps this _is_ me and the face before was false. Who really knows?"

There is nothing Edo can say but, "It wasn't," and Judai simply laughs at him, calling Edo naïve and childish.

Edo vaguely remembers when he once thought the same of Judai. A niggling vision existing somewhere beyond the haze of pain where he sneers and snarls about Judai's juvenile behaviour. Declaring that Judai has no right to use Hero cards at all.

Right now he would give anything for it to be true again. To see that naïve, childish, streak. To see something other than this monster that doesn't even remember how to be human anymore.

It never happens. No matter how much he hopes, how much he prays, how much he _demands_ that Judai remember otherwise, it doesn't change. It's always the monster, the Supreme King, standing there; cold and indifferent and vaguely annoyed by Edo's bull-headed refusal to break for him.

Edo _knows_ he is going to die here. That it won't be much longer. And that the last thing he is going to see is this twisted mockery of Judai, sneering at him.


End file.
